2015 - the penultimate year!

DebtFree2012

Good Morning

I like to start a new diary each year - why, I don't know. So here I am. 2016 will be my LAST year in debt. No matter what. That means that now I can say "next year I will be debt free"

So in brief, I am a wife and mother of 2 young children, I work full time and have 2 jobs thanks to a LOVELY lady on here - she knows who she is - I don't want to get her bombarded with newcomers all wanting a 2nd job. I have horses, a dog, chickens and a lovely home. My dream is to have my animals at home and in order to do that, I need to be debt free and move to a place that will allow this. What more inspiration do I need?

So, 2015 is the year of the HUGE over payments. I already pay a fortune a month, but this year I am the most focussed I have ever been. This has come from being on MSE for so long and learning new ways, habits and realising what it is and isn't important. I have been getting organised and paying debts over the last few years, with the main thrust being the last 8 months of 2014.

I love to cook and bake, be outdoors and enjoy life.

A few initial thoughts from me:

• New clothes, shoes and fancy things are not on the list of things needed in 2015, nor were they in 2014.
• There will be no takeaways (unless family occasion maybe once every 4 months) inc none for the kids (McD's)
• No haircuts (I don't need them and nor does DD as our hair is very long, once a year is enough) and DS goes with DH and I don't pay and generally nothing shall be bought that we really don't need.
• Following on from above - all meals homemade and menu planned.
• Cards will be homemade where possible and so will gifts (some people do no appreciate homemade so that will be money).
• We will have a holiday, we need time together to relax but it will be saved and paid for.
• No credit will be used and as soon as any debts are cleared, the card will be closed.
• In October 2015 my student loan will finally be paid off.
• I'm hoping to get a decent pay rise in April due to my achievements from 2014 and I'm going to do as much on the 2nd job as is physically possible.
• I shall use the slow cooker as much as possible (several times a week) and bake my own bread where I can (bread maker).
• Once all of the Xmas chocs have gone, I will home bake cakes and biscuits and just buy a small pack if required.
• All shopping will be done in Aldi and to my budget.
• I will knit as much as I can - great sense of satisfaction and I'm only half way through cable scarf!

I can't wait - I know 2015 is going to be a cracking year.

I've started by getting my routine organised. I need to be on top of things as my life is so hectic that if I don't, it all goes wrong and that knocks me (I am not a control freak, ish).

So the school run was organised this morning and lunches made last night. Dog walked (horses are PM only as they are fed on morning for us by another livery member - they are a 10 minute drive away). I have my new notepads for work and will start a brainstorm of what I want to achieve and how I will - that's this week's task along with catching up on everything that's come in over time off.

Right - I am off to get January's starting figures. I have a spreadsheet that I would be lost without!

DebtFree2012

OK signature updated.

The good news is I haven't used credit for 2 Christmas' in a row (nor during the year). The bad news is, I am skint as expected. So I have a few payments to make and not enough money (yet) for them. This means that I am going to have to conjour some up from somewhere. Once they are settled, then we have a fresh start from January's pay on 23rd.

DebtFree2012

Ok I have just had an idea hit me. To keep it neat, if the second job, surveys and any sales (few and far between) can pay for the horses, then all of the money I earn from the day job can go to debt. That keeps me focussed on job 2 as it means I pay my horses with it and I get the same amount from job 1 every month so I know what I can pay to debt from that.

cazmanian_minx

Happy new diary!

pennywisepoundstupid

Found you, Found you!!:D.

Good to have you back and with a shiny new diary :j.

Good luck with debt busting this year.

DebtFree2012

Hi penny

Thank you - I intend to enjoy every minute and debt bust as much as I can !

Good luck to you too xx

PinkPoppies

Found you!

Onwards and upwards!! :j

crunch_time

Found you!! Happy New Diary!!


Subscribed!


Crunchy xx

ScattySkewbald

Good luck on your journey to your dream - will be subscribing x

DebtFree2012

Hi All,

Lovely to see people popping by

Well this morning I managed to get up - not quite as quickly as yesterday but still within time so that's good. Everything got done that needed to and I got the slow cooker on for tea. However, I have decided if I am doing a one pot meal which is what I wanted to do, I will have to prep the veg the night before as I didn't have time this morning so ended up just meat and gravy and will have to do veg later (when it's my late night and everyone is starving when I get in).

At work 8:20 - 5 today, own bread for breakfast and home made quiche (made last night) for lunch with grapes and an apple (apple provided free from work ), finish then home to complete the tea, kids homework, showered, hoover through whilst they are showering and then family time. I am working 8-10 for the day job and doubt I will get any 2nd job work in yet as they are still quiet therefore I plan on catching up a bit with my knitting and seeing DH.

No spending at all this week except £3.50 for the clear round on Wednesday which I will be jumping to see how the big girl is - we've not jumped much over the festive period so we may be clearing it by miles!

The pony was a swine last night - winter pony syndrome! They are in from the fields now and by G0d we are feeling it. I lunged him pre DD riding and he was ok - he saved it til she got on. So I lunged him again and he got most of it out of his system but it's going to be a long winter. He is on pony nuts (just fibre) with a couple of carrots (plus hay of course) and I'm thinking of stopping them even though they are non heating. Just in case. He can still have a carrot to make him believe he is getting a feed bucket though.

Accounts are quiet and need to be as there's nothing left in the pot

MrsSmith2013

Hi Debtfree2012 - just read your diary, you sound incredibly motivated so I am going to subscribe and hopefully some of your motivation will rub off on me!

I'm hoping to be debt free this year, which will be a tall order, but it it definately do-able if I put my mind to it!

Looking forward to your journey!
Mrs S x